1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an entertainment device, system and method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, with the advent of ever more powerful computers, real time tracking of objects using a video camera has become more achievable. Furthermore, such systems may be used to combine real images with virtual images so as to generate augmented reality images and produce a content-rich media experience for a user. There are many different ways in which augmented reality images may be generated.
In some augmented reality systems, a previously known virtual map (for example generated using computer aided design to correspond to a real environment) may be matched to images of a real environment captured by a video camera. The map is then used to generate virtual reality images which may be superimposed on a captured video images or combined with the video images so as to generate the augmented reality images. However, such systems require that the map be registered or matched to the real world. Therefore, the matching of the virtual map to the real images may not be easy to carry out, especially if the map is not that detailed or if there are few objects which may be readily identified within a captured image.
Other systems, such as the one described in “Parallel Tracking and Mapping for Small AR Workspaces” G. Klein and D. Murray, Proceedings of the Sixth IEEE and ICM International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality (ISMAR2007) pages 225-234, 13-16, Nov. 2007, track feature points within a series of video images and generate a map accordingly. In some systems, the map may be generated by extensible tracking of objects within the sequence of captured video images. Once a rudimentary map has been generated, the map can then be used to insert virtual objects into a scene. However, such map generation can be computationally expensive. Furthermore, to create a map which relates to static feature points, the camera needs to panned or tilted so that the captured scene differs from frame to frame, thus enabling feature points to be tracked. Therefore, such systems may struggle to generate an adequate map where a camera is static or where there are few feature points to be tracked (for example as might occur with a planar surface such as a table top).
Augmented reality is increasingly being used in video game systems. For example, a video game called “The Eye of Judgment” published by Sony Computer Entertainment® uses a system where game cards may be detected by a video camera and augmented reality images generated such that game creatures may be displayed superimposed on the detected game cards. However, once a game card has been played, such systems may offer little further real time interaction with the game system.
The present invention seeks to alleviate or mitigate the above problems.